Safety handle devices

ABSTRACT

A safety handle device for use on bath tubs consists primarily of two panels of reinforced rubber or the like which are hinged together at their upper ends to allow them normally to be folded upon each other in minimum space. The portions of the panels adjacent the hinge are apertured to form a hand grip, and embody rigid stiffeners. A cross web of strong fabric, secured to the main panels below the handle structure, has a central or spanning portion normally folded within the collapsed assembly. The lower inner faces of the main panels are formed with pattern arrays of closely spaced vacuum cups.

[451 July 15, 1975 United States Patent 11 1 Shively 4/185 R 150/1.7 X 224/49 X 3,448,468 6/1969 Murcott.............................. 3,568,918 3/1971 B10mqvist..... 3,779,156 12/1973 Primary Examiner-Billy S. Taylor Assistant E.\'aminerStuart S. Levy SAFETY HANDLE DEVICES John J. Shively, 515 E. 89th St., New York, NY. 10028 Filed: Dec. 20, 1973 Appl. No.: 426,497

[76] Inventor:

[57] ABSTRACT A safety handle device for use on bath tubs consists [52} U.S. 4/185 H; 224/45 P; 224/49;

primarily of two panels of reinforced rubber or the like which are hinged together at their upper ends to allow them normally to be folded upon each other in minimum space. The portions of the panels adjacent the hinge are apertured to form a hand grip, and emm ooRm IA 1 7 3 15 2 k M fl AH261 01 00 21 17w man a-0 m wn mwlRfl l.s 7 m1 7%L WMJW ".362 mm725 fims r144 "a 65 62 S7 9 0 4 n e mF HQ 55 body rigid stiffeners. A cross web of strong fabric, secured to the main panels below the handle structure, has a central or spanning portion normally folded within the collapsed assembly. The lower inner faces [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS of the main panels are formed with pattern arrays of closely spaced vacuum cups.

4/185 1-1 294/64 R X 229/54 R 4/185 R 2 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures 1.329.487 2/1920 2,807,029 9/1957 Armstrong 2.924.374 2/1960 Vinebcrg......

3414910 12/1968 Prov|eta1 I 1 a i SHEET SAFETY HANDLE DEVICES To apply the device to a wall of the usual modern or flush walled bath tub, the user simply spreads the two main panels apart, thrusts the assembly downward on the top of the wall, and presses or slaps the lower vacuum cup arrays firmly into clinging engagement with the smooth inner and outer wall surfaces. The cross web embraces and adjusts itself to the upper contour of the tub wall, while limiting the spread of the upper stiffened panel portions to define a triangular or A-frame handle structure effectedy held against dislodging under downward, upward, or angular grasping forces. For use on old style or roll flared top tubs, one of the panels may embody a hook structure adapted to engage the lower lip of the flare. Removal of the device may be carried out in a matter of seconds by stripping the vacuum cup assemblies or assembly upward in the manner usual with horizontal vacuum mats.

In the annals of serious and often fatal accidents involving falls in or about bath tubs, a frequent contributing cause, particularly with modern installations, has been the lack of any firm steadying hand grip means on the front wall of the tub itself, namely the principal obstruction and hence hazard which must be directly traversed in entering and leaving the tub. In recognation of this lack, various attachments have hitherto been devised'with a view to furnishing a remedy. While such devices as disclosed in the prior art can supply a measure of protection when applied under conditions par ticularly suited to them, certain factors inherent in their basic structural concepts have tended to limit the scope of their practical utilization. Typical of such limiting factors have been the necessities for rigid and hence relatively heavy structural clamping assemblies; complicated structures usually requiring the use of tools entailing a considerable degree of mechanical skill in adjusting and attaching such a device to a bath tub, or in detaching it therefrom; and corollary to these factors, lack of adaptability to easy packing and transportation, as in a travellers luggage.

Illustrative of the above characteristics in devices of the prior art, reference may be made to the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,940,085 (Hussey) and 2,807,029 (Armstrong). Both patents set forth and are specifically limited to clamping means comprising rigid metallic inner and outer angle brackets, secured together by various screws and nuts. Hussey employs solid rubber pads on his rigid brackets to protect the tub surfaces when the brackets are tightened thereon by means of his adjustable cross screws; while in Armstrong two large conventional vacuum cups on each of his rigid inner and outer brackets serve the same cushioning purpose and presumedly provide vertical holding adherence when compressed during adjustment and the tightening of screws and/or nuts as necessary to make the installation. In both devices, of course, the removal or positional change of location obviously requires the use of tools and the skill to apply them, together with the presence of the tools themselves.

From the foregoing brief references to the typical devices of the prior art, it is believed evident that their field of practical usefulness is limited to permanent or semi-permanent installations, rendering them unsuitable for use in situations where quick and easy application and removal, together with convenient portability, are prime requisites. Such situations may best be illustrated in the field of travel. It is well known to experienced travellers who frequent public or semi-public accommodations such as hotels, that they may often encounter bath tub facilities which, while even luxurious in their general aspects, include no effective manual gripping means whatever by which the attempting bather can preserve his safety against accident. Thus it follows that the only logical way of assurance against such lack is for the traveller himself to furnish the safety device; in other Words, he must include it in his readily accessible luggage as a regular accessory throughout his travels. However, it will also be evident the safety devices hitherto available, as exemplified in the above noted patents, are not suited or adaptable to this wide field of use, due to their previously noted intrinsic characteristics of weight, rigidity, complexity, requirements for accompanying tools with the skill to apply them, and the obvious loss of time during installation and removal, which characteristics, severally and- /or collectively, make their employment too cumbersome for practical acceptance in such service; the latter consideration is typically observable in connection with the modern demands of high speed and *light travel.

In view of the foregoing and related considerations, an object of the present invention is to provide a safety grip, applicable to bath tubs, which is characterised by lightness in weight and compact portability.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature which is automatically self-adjustable to differing sizes and contours of bath tub wall structures.

A further object is to provide a device of the above type which is applicable and removable without the use of tools.

Another object is to provide a device of the foregoing chracteristics which may be of simple unitary construction, and which may readily be applied and removed without the exercise of particular mechanical skill.

A further object is to provide ready gripping means, i.e., safety gripping means which may be installed and- /or removed within minimum time, such as the order of seconds.

A still further related object is to provide a safety device which is characterized by flexibility and surface resilience against harmful accidental contact, and by adaptation to easy sanitary cleansing both of itself and of the tub structure to which it may be applied.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident during the course of the following description, in connection with the accompaning drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a general face view, partly cut away, showing a preferred form of the invention in normal or flat folded position;

FIG. 2 is a right side or edge elevation of the same;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross section in the plane 33, FIG. 1, showing the typical internal construction of the device;

FIG. 4 illustrates a typical stiffening plate as embodied in the handle portion;

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged fragmental section showing the typical fabric and rubber or equivalent plastic combinational structure;

FIG. 6 illustrates the adherent application of the device to a typical flat topped modern bath tub wall structure;

FIG. 7 shows the automatically self-adjusted application of the device to a modern round topped tub wall;

FIG. 8 illustrates how the application of an upward pull on either of the applied vacuum cup assemblies contains an inward force component which augments the adherent resistance of the cups to upward displacement',

FIG. 9 shows an optional inclusional means by which the device may be utilized on the older or flared top tubs;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged internal detail illustration of the flare hooking structure, and

FIG. 11 is a fragmental view of the hook adaptation simplified for use when only flare type tubs are to be served.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view illus trating the typical flexible but substantially inextensible fabric with its sheathing of rubber or equivalent, as employed in the spread-limiting cross web.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral indicates bodily a gripping device of unitary structure including a pair of panels 21 and 22 for application respectively to the inner and outer surfaces of a bath tub wall. The panels 21 and 22 are flexibly joined at their upper ends in the form of a hinge 23, so that they may normally be folded flat against each other as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Referring to sectional FIG. 3, it will be seen that ,core of the combination comprises a continuous length of flexible but substantially inextensible fabric 24, such as canvas or strong denim, as shown in enlarged FIG. 5. Also as illustrated in FIG. 5, the fabric 24 carries a waterproof coating 25, hereinafter referred to in the interest of brevity as of rubber. but which of course may be of any other equivalent plastic material.

The rubber coating of the panels 21 and 22 is thickened in their upper zones to provide grip supporting members 26 and 27 below the hinge 23, FIGS. 2 and 3. These members are formed with wide corresponding apertures 28 to accomodate a grippers fingers, so that the upper borders including the hinge 23 constitute a convenient horizontal handle 29, FIG. 1.

Embedded in the thickened portions 26 and 27 are rigid stiffener plates 30 which extend upward to the hinge 23, FIG. 3. The plates 30 are indicated in FIG. 3 as of metal, but if desired. any other suitable strong material such as hard plastic may be employed. The shape of the plates is that of frames surrounding the apertures 28. A flexible cross web 31 of inextensible water proof fabric is terminally secured to the panels 21 and 22 just below the thickened portions 26 and 27. The web 31 is normally folded upon itself when the device is in collapsed position, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 12. Flexible pads 32 and 33 on the lower respective inner faces of the panels 21 and 22 are formed with patterns of numerous small vacuum cups 34 and 35, FIGS. 1, 2 and FIG. 6 shows the device applied to the wall 36 of a modern bath tub, the wall being of the well known type characterized by a flat top portion 37 and flush inner and outer surfaces 38 and 39 respectively. To accomplish the installation, the user spreads the device open about the hinge 23, thrusts it down so as to straddle the wall, and slaps or presses the panels 21 and 22 inward to place the patterns of vacuum cups 34 and in firm adherence to the respective flush wall surfaces 38 and 39. The cross web 31, which has been thrust into engagement with the top wall portion 37 of the tub, limits the spread of the stiffened panel portions 26 and 27 so as to form therewith a practically rigid A- frame type of support for the handle 29. This structure and the adherence of the patterns of vacuum cups 34 and 35 to the respective wall surfaces 38 and 39, render the handle 29 effectively resistant to displacement in any direction in which'the grasp of the user may urge it. Thus, if an upward pull is exerted on the handle 29, yielding is prevented jointly by the resistances of the two patterns of cups 34 and 35, the total restraint being shared by the two panels 21 and 22 in varying proportion according to the angle at which the upward stress is applied.

At this point it is germane to state that the number of cups and effective adherent area of either one of the two cup combinations are made such that either panel alone can successfully resist the greatest upward force which may be applied by the user. By this provision, if the pressure is applied in a lateral direction, as by a bather rising in a tub, any tendency to appreciable rocking disengagement of the handle structure is effectively prevented by the adherence of whichever pattern of vacuum cups is placed in tractive stress. In the case of downward grasping pressure on the handle 29, as may be applied by a bather either entering or leaving the tub, the inelasticity of the web 31 prevents appreciable increase in angular spread of the stiffened portions 26 and 27, so that no significant displacement can occur.

From the above, it will be evident that the device is adapted to provide stability in the handle 29 at upward, downward, or at any intermediate gripping angles, and it will further be evident that the same provisions are effective in resisting longitudinal pressures on the bandle and its stiffened supports 26 and 27.

FIG. 7 illustrates the automatic adjustability of the device, showing it applied to a flush sided bath tub wall 40 having a rounded top portion 41. When the device is applied to this type of tub, the cross web 31 embraces the rounded top, the only difference from the illustration of FIG. 6 being a small reduction in the angle of spread between the supports 26 and 27. The resistances to displacement are effectively the same as previously described.

With respect to the resistance of the vacuum cup combinations to displacement, FIG. 8 illustrates how a tensional stress applied to either of the panels, such as panel 21, tends to augment the resistive cling of its cups. Referring to FIG. 8, the combined thickness of the pad 32 and the collapsed cups is substantially greater than that of the upwardly extending adjacent portion of the panel 21 and its attached web 31 (FIG. 3). For this reason, the tensional force F applied to the panel 21 acts at an inward angle, so that an inward force component F-i is exerted on the pad 32 and its cups 34, thus reinforcing the latters resistance to displacement. Obviously the augmentation to tractive resistance is in proportion to the magnitude of the force applied, i.e., the greater the pull, the greater the resistance to slippage becomes.

When it is desired to remove the device, the user simply grasps the lower edge or corner of either panel 21 or 22 and strips it off, followed by the other panel, in the well-known manner in which an ordinary vacuum mat is removed from a tub bottom. Plainly, this removal may be accomplished in a matter of seconds.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the invention provides a safety handle device which is simple, low in cost, light and compact for easy portability and access, together with quick and ready application and removal without tools or any significant requirement for mechanical skill. While the above qualities, in connection with its inherent self-adjustment to differing tub wall shapes and proportions, render the article well adapted to use by travellers, as previously noted, it lends itself similarly to convenient use in the home; in either situation, its unitary waterproof structure presents the further advantage of facilitating cleaning both of the tub and of the device itself.

The foregoing description has set forth the invention in its simplest basic form as adapted to use on the modern type of flush walled tub which per se affords no gripping facility. However, there are in use many of the older variety of tubs 42 embodying single thickness walls flared outward and shortly downward throughout their top portions 43, as illustrated in FIG. 9. To provide a single form of the invention applicable to either type of tub, the structure is the same as that previously described except for the addition shown in enlarged fragmental FIG. 10. Referring to the latter figure, a concave and substantially rigid member 44 of stiff sheet metal or hard plastic equivalent is disposed on the outer side of the one panel 22 so as to extend throughout the entire width of the panel, this extent being indicated in dot and dash lines, FIG. 1. The core fabric of panel 22 is bonded to the concave inner face of the member 44, making the latter an integral part of the device hereinafter referred to as the hook 45. It will be understood that while the outer face of 44 is encased in the same rubber or equivalent protective coating 25 shown in FIG. 5, repetetive direct indication of this detail is omitted from smaller scaled FIG. in the interest of clarity.

Application of this version of the invention to a flushwalled tub such as either of those shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, is carried out as previously described, the hook 45 standing convexly outward while acting simply as a part of the inextensible connection between the handle 29 and the panels vacuum cup array 35. The concavity of the hook 45 entails a small shortening of the spacing between the above two elements, but this is operationally immaterial; however, if for any reason it is desired to maintain the two panels at equal length, the length of the basic fabric in the panel 22 obviously may be increased accordingly in manufacture.

When the device is to be applied to a flared type tub 42, FIG. 9, the hook 45 is thrust inward under the downward edge 46 of the flared top 43, the device is spread and pulled taut over the top of the flare 43, thereby bringing the hook into firm engagement with the edge 46, and the inner panel 21 is pressed into retaining attachment on the inner face of the tub wall in the manner previously set forth with regard to FIGS. 6 and 7; obviously the hooked installation similarly may be accomplished in a matter of seconds and with minimum requirement for skill. It will be evident that the form of the device just described is readily applicable to any tub likely to be found either during travel or in the home. Incidentally, the upper contours of the usual flared top tubs are so nearly uniform that any normal variation therein can result only in an inward or outward shift of handle position too small to impair the self-adjusted effectiveness of the device as described.

With regard to particular home use wherein the only type of tub concerned is of the flare variety, the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 11 may be provided. In this case the outer panel 22 may be terminated at the hook 45, as shown, the lower portion including the vacuum cup array 35 being omitted as unnecessary in this particular embodiment. Further structural variations may be embodied; for example, the inextensible fabric core and cross web of the device may if desired be of fine metallic mesh rather than organic thread. Thus, while the device has been set forth in preferred forms, it is not limited to the precise embodiments illustrated, as various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

I. In a safety handle device for use on a bath tub wall of inverted U-shaped cross sectional configuration presenting flat vertical inner and outer exposed faces, in combination, an inner and an outer panel, each comprising a sheet of flexible and substantially inextensible fabric having sheathings of rubber, said panels having flexible lower portions adapted to be lowered vertically into registry with said respective inner and outer tub wall faces, means forming a hinge connecting the tops of said panels, whereby said panels may normally be folded toward each other into parallel and minimally spaced mutual relationship and may alternatively be spread apart to straddle said tub wall, rigid means to stiffen the upper portions of said panels adjacent and below said hinge, said stiffened portions having central apertures shaped to establish an upper grip handle including said hinge, a cross web of said flexible and substantially inextensible sheathed fabric terminally joined to said panels adjacent the lower ends of said stiffened portions thereof, said cross web being adapted to limit the spread of said stiffened upper portions of said panels and to engage the upper surface of said, straddled wall in conformity with the contour of said upper surface, and an array of small vacuum cups on each of said flexible lower portions of said inner and outer panels, said arrays of cups being adapted to be manually thrust into adherent engagement with said respective inner and outer faces of said straddled wall.

2. In a safety handle device for use on a bath tub wall of inverted U-shaped cross sectional configuration presenting flat vertical inner and outer exposed faces, in combination, an inner and an outer panel, comprising jointly a single continuous strip of flexible and substantially inextensible fabric sheathed in flexible waterproofing material, said panels having flexible lower portions adapted to be lowered vertically into registry with said respective inner and outer tub wall faces, said continuous strip including means forming a hinge connecting the tops of said panels, said hinge forming means including a downwardly concave bent portion of said continuous strip, whereby said panels may normally be folded toward each other into parallel and minimally spaced mutual relationship and may alternatively be spread apart to straddle said tub wall, rigid means to stiffen the upper portions of said panels adjacent and below said hinge, said stiffened portions having central apertures shaped to establish an upper grip handle including said hinge, a cross web of said flexible and substantially inextensible fabric terminally joined to said panels adjacent the lower ends of said stiffened upper portions thereof, said cross web being adapted to limit the the spread of said stiffened portions of said panels and to engage the upper surface of said straddled wall in conformity with the contour of said upper surface, and an array of small vacuum cups on each of said flexible lower portions of said panels, said arrays of cups being adapted to be thrust into adherent engagement with said respective inner and outer faces of said straddled wall when manual pressures are applied directly to said registered lower portions of said panels. l l 

1. In a safety handle device for use on a bath tub wall of inverted U-shaped cross sectional configuration presenting flat vertical inner and outer exposed faces, in combination, an inner and an outer panel, each comprising a sheet of flexible and substantially inextensible fabric having sheathings of rubber, said panels having flexible lower portions adapted to be lowered vertically into registry with said respective inner and outer tub wall faces, means forming a hinge connecting the tops of said panels, whereby said panels may normally be folded toward each other into parallEl and minimally spaced mutual relationship and may alternatively be spread apart to straddle said tub wall, rigid means to stiffen the upper portions of said panels adjacent and below said hinge, said stiffened portions having central apertures shaped to establish an upper grip handle including said hinge, a cross web of said flexible and substantially inextensible sheathed fabric terminally joined to said panels adjacent the lower ends of said stiffened portions thereof, said cross web being adapted to limit the spread of said stiffened upper portions of said panels and to engage the upper surface of said, straddled wall in conformity with the contour of said upper surface, and an array of small vacuum cups on each of said flexible lower portions of said inner and outer panels, said arrays of cups being adapted to be manually thrust into adherent engagement with said respective inner and outer faces of said straddled wall.
 2. In a safety handle device for use on a bath tub wall of inverted U-shaped cross sectional configuration presenting flat vertical inner and outer exposed faces, in combination, an inner and an outer panel, comprising jointly a single continuous strip of flexible and substantially inextensible fabric sheathed in flexible waterproofing material, said panels having flexible lower portions adapted to be lowered vertically into registry with said respective inner and outer tub wall faces, said continuous strip including means forming a hinge connecting the tops of said panels, said hinge forming means including a downwardly concave bent portion of said continuous strip, whereby said panels may normally be folded toward each other into parallel and minimally spaced mutual relationship and may alternatively be spread apart to straddle said tub wall, rigid means to stiffen the upper portions of said panels adjacent and below said hinge, said stiffened portions having central apertures shaped to establish an upper grip handle including said hinge, a cross web of said flexible and substantially inextensible fabric terminally joined to said panels adjacent the lower ends of said stiffened upper portions thereof, said cross web being adapted to limit the the spread of said stiffened portions of said panels and to engage the upper surface of said straddled wall in conformity with the contour of said upper surface, and an array of small vacuum cups on each of said flexible lower portions of said panels, said arrays of cups being adapted to be thrust into adherent engagement with said respective inner and outer faces of said straddled wall when manual pressures are applied directly to said registered lower portions of said panels. 